Chapter 15

Question 1

The molecules carrying the body’s genetic information; is double stranded in the shape of a double helix

Answer 1

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Question 2

A rodlike structure in the cell nucleus, along which the genes are located; it is composed of DNA surrounded by other material, mainly proteins

Answer 2

Chromosome

Question 3

A substance composed of a large number of atoms; these atoms are usually arranged in repeating units, or monomers

Answer 3

Polymer

Question 4

The unit of DNA consisting of one of four bases - adenine, guanine, cytosine, or thymine - attached to a phosphate-sugar group

Answer 4

Nucleotide

Question 5

The specific pairing of base A with T and base G with C in double-stranded DNA

Answer 5

Complementary base pairing

Question 6

Polymers of amino acids that play basic roles in the structures and functions of living things

Answer 6

Proteins

Question 7

The building blocks of proteins; there are twenty common amino acids; are linked to form a protein; the types of amino acids and the order in which they’re linked determine the character of each protein

Answer 7

Amino acids

Question 8

The total DNA content found within the nucleus of a human cell; it is composed of approximately three billion base pairs of genetic information

Answer 8

Human genome

Question 9

The synthesis of new DNA from existing DNA

Answer 9

Replication

Question 10

A technique for replicating or copying a portion of a DNA strand outside a living cell; this technique leads to millions of copies of the DNA strand

Answer 10

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Question 11

A region of a chromosome that contains multiple copies is a core DNA sequence that are arranged in a repeating fashion

Answer 11

Tandem repeat

Question 12

A short strand of DNA used to target a region of DNA for replication by PCR

Answer 12

Primer

Question 13

The process of joining two complementary strands of DNA to form a double-stranded molecule

Answer 13

Hybridization

Question 14

Different fragment lengths of base pairs that result from cutting a DNA molecule with restriction enzymes

Answer 14

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs)

Question 15

A technique for separating molecules through their migration on a support medium while under the influence of an electrical potential

Answer 15

Electrophoresis

Question 16

A region of a DNA molecule that contains short segments consisting of three to seven repeating base pairs

Answer 16

Short tandem repeat (STR)

Question 17

A technique that simultaneously detects more than one DNA marker in a single analysis

Answer 17

Multiplexing

Question 18

A genetic locus useful for determining gender

Answer 18

Amelogenin gene

Question 19

Short tandem repeats located in the human Y chromosome

Answer 19

Y-STRs

Question 20

Small structures located outside the nucleus of a cell; these structures supply energy to the cell; maternally found DNA is found here

Answer 20

Mitochondria

Question 21

A procedure used to determine the order of the base pairs that constitute DNA

Answer 21

Sequencing

Question 22

One-trillionth of a gram, or 0.000000000001 gram

Answer 22

Picogram

Question 23

Fewer than 18 DNA-bearing cells

Answer 23

Low copy number

Question 24

The outer layer of skin cells; these DNA-bearing cells often fall off or are rubbed onto objects retrieved from crime scenes

Answer 24

Epithelial cells

Question 25

DNA from skin cells transferred onto the surface of an object by simple contact

Answer 25

Touch DNA

Question 26

An unstained object adjacent to an area on which biological material has been deposited

Answer 26

Substrate control

Question 27

Cells derived from the inner cheek lining

Answer 27

Buccal cells